Food Security
Learning Journey 2 of 3
Theme: From plant lifecycles to plate
Second Level
Curriculum areas: sciences, technologies & maths
Introduction
See Teacher’s notes for further details and background information: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/FoodSecurityTeachersNotes__tcm4-824408.doc
There are
v hundreds of thousands of different plant species but 80% of most diets around the world depend on staple foods derived from only 20-25 species. We get over
half of our calories from just three of these. There are important issues arising from our dependence on relatively few plant species and how we grow them. We need a
thorough knowledge of plant life cycles and how plants grow to ensure we have a secure food supply. We need to fully understand the impact of adding pesticides,
herbicides or fertilisers in our drive to increase crop yields. Only when we understand these can we examine how human curiosity and our desire to ‘improve on nature’
impacts on the sustainability of our food security and on the health of our planet.
Prior learning
Sciences – learners should:
 be able to identify basic plant parts and have experience of growing and
caring for plants,
 have an understanding of the requirements for life and the seven ‘life
processes’
 consider that life cycles of organisms ‘continue’ because of reproduction
and that eventually the adult organism dies,
 have planned experiments and understand fair testing, knowing why
important.
Technologies – learners should:
 know basic design and construction procedures including identifying a
need or design opportunity,
 have used construction skills for assembly of materials and be able
evaluate and improve work.
Numeracy & mathematics – learners should have:
 some experience of measuring using a range of units from millimetres to
metres,
 some experience of measuring irregular areas.
For further support with planning see National Assessment Resource flowchart:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/NAR-Flow-chart_tcm4-671023.pdf
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/stemcentral
Experiences and outcomes
Sciences
 By investigating the lifecycles of plants and animals, I can recognise the different
stages of their development. SCN 2-14a
 I have collaborated in the design of an investigation into the effects of fertilisers on
the growth of plants. I can express an informed view of the risks and benefits of their
use. SCN 2-03a
 I can report and comment on current scientific news items to develop my knowledge
and understanding of topical science. SCN 2-20b
Technologies
 Having evaluated my work, I can adapt and improve, where appropriate, through trial
and error or by using feedback. TCH 1-11b / TCH 2-11b
 Having analysed how lifestyle can impact on the environment and Earth’s resources, I
can make suggestions about how to live in a more sustainable way. TCH 2-02a
Numeracy & mathematics
 Carrying out investigations and surveys, interpreting, presenting and communication
information and results. MNU-2-10b MNU 2-20a / 2-20b
 Find the area of a 2D shape. MNU 2-11c
Opportunities for Interdisciplinary learning involving other curriculum areas can be
planned for as appropriate to your learners and context.
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Food Security
Learning Journey 2 of 3
Stimulus
Suggested key learning
Refer to Teacher’s notes.
Learning intentions and success criteria should be
established through dialogue with learners.
Show a picture of Albert Einstein and his
quote:
“If the bee disappears from the surface
of the earth, man would have no more
than four years to live. No more bees, no
more pollination … no more men!”
Think-Pair-Share: what do learners think
this means?
Skills
Through research activities, experiments and
practical investigations learners will develop skills
in:
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inquiry and investigation,
observation and making predictions,
analytical thinking (when making
sense of results),
interpretation and evaluation of
information,
presentation and justification of
opinions,
planning, organising and designing
experiments,
practical construction (compost
column /experiment/ flower
construction).
For more info on skills visit: Building the
Curriculum 4 and Sciences Principles and Practice
at http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/sciences
Learners can:
 identify and explain the functions of parts
of flowering and non-flowering plants,
 correctly use the terms and compare and
contrast pollination, fertilisation and seed
dispersal,
 explain how natural decomposition
/composting is part of the sustainable
support for plant cycles and growth,
 discuss and evaluate parallels between
experiments they have done and the
real-life farming conditions of growing
crops,
 identify the process(es) occurring in
compost column and predict outcomes,
 propose/ implement growth studies
using the materials from compost column
(liquid exudates/compost solids) as
fertiliser,
 compare models, making reasoned
judgements on the success of models,
 identify food-related stories and discuss
which articles have good scientific
information and understanding,
 demonstrate findings using graphical
representations,
 illustrate research findings through
graphs.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/stemcentral
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Second Level
Suggested learning activities
 investigate and discuss scenarios where the natural life cycle of a
plant is interrupted (wind destroying flowers; cold stopping fruit
development; insecticides killing off bees etc.),
 investigate one aspect of plant growth which might show the ways
that external conditions, including weather or the growth site,
might affect plant growth – for instance amount of light or water;
soil types (or no soil) or pollution - predict/observe/record
 set up experiment to identify the most effective fertiliser
 model insecticide accumulation in a food pyramid - drama,
 construct a compost column,
 record decomposition in compost column. Suggest how to improve
aspects for ‘better’ results - make reference to model to explain its
basic features and modifications they have made with awareness of
health and safety issues (smells, flies, use of plant v. animal
material),
 research importance of compost to growth and problems arising if
decaying natural materials are cleared leading to need to add
fertilisers. This raises the issue of sustainable techniques in farming
(concept cartoons could be used),
 draw conclusions about ‘external conditions; by measuring (area of
leaves and height of stems) plants,
 learners must select the appropriate unit of measure and
measuring device for the subject,
 use suitable numerical vocabulary to describe trends in graphs and
support conclusions,
 analyse, and draw conclusions from, data logging results by reading
graphs accurately.
Topical science issues should be included as appropriate.
Food Security
Reflecting on learning
Dialogue with learners will establish how the design principles
were addressed. Relate the prompts below to your own
context.
Breadth – What other curricular areas were
covered during this topic? Can you relate learning
to areas of real life and /or school learning?
Personalisation and choice – Were you given the
opportunity to choose your own methods of
investigation or recording?
Depth – Were you given the opportunity to show
what you have learned and explain your learning to
others? Have you led learning in any way?
Coherence – Can you discuss some of the
knowledge, understanding and skills you have
developed? How have you used these? Can you
relate them to real life or other areas of learning?
Progression – Have you used the skills and
knowledge and understanding you already had of
the subject and have you built on these?
Relevance – Can you identify an everyday context
where you would use your knowledge,
understanding and skills?
Challenge & enjoyment – Did you enjoy the
learning? Why/why not? Was it challenging
enough? Can you suggest how to take learning
further?
Learning Journey 2 of 3
Second Level
Evidence of learning
Possible methods of assessment are listed below. Select as appropriate or devise your own.
Say: Debates - What would happen to food production (perhaps using their investigations for illustration), if there
were no pollinators for crops, growing conditions were polluted, soil was unsuitable, no plant material is left in
fields after crops are gathered, too much or too little fertilisers were used, seeds/fruits were not able to be
dispersed? Use suitable numerical vocabulary to describe trends in graphs and support conclusions.
Write: Write instructions for an investigation into one aspect of plant growth, explaining choice of appropriate
sensors to monitor environmental conditions and changes in investigation. Explain the fair testing they have
carried out and explain what happened. Identify the control in the experiment and explain its function.
Make: Construct a compost column or make a presentation explaining pollination, or fertilisation or seed
dispersal, including when they occur in a plant’s life cycle and why they are important.
Do: Design and conduct an experiment to investigate an aspect of plant growth, using data logging equipment
appropriately recording predictions, observations, conclusions and evaluations of results select the appropriate
unit of measure and measuring device for the subject.
For more information see Assessing progress and achievement resource at http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/sciences
Taking learning further
Find ways to deepen and extend learning through dialogue with learners.
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Evaluate compost column and suggest how to vary its construction to extend investigation of decomposition
(more/less air holes, more water, warmer environment etc.).
Use time lapse photography to study growth experiments.
Set up a wormery.
Identify components of fertilisers – make with assistance of secondary colleagues.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_gateway_pre_2011/chemical/fertilisersrev1.shtml
See the Sciences Concept Development Paper for more guidance: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/sciences
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/stemcentral
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